Impatiens plant named ‘Balpixsang’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Balpixsang’, characterized by its small salmon colored flowers, compact growth habit and dark green leaves.

Latin name of the genus and species of plant claimed: Impatienswalleriana.

Variety denomination: ‘Balpixsang’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct Impatiens plant,botanically known as Impatiens walleriana and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balpixsang’.

‘Balpixsang’ is a product of a planned breeding program with theobjective of developing Impatiens cultivars with small flowers andcompact growth habits.

The female or seed parent of ‘Balpixsang’ was Impatiens variety ‘OrangeChico’ (unpatented) which has a more compact growth habit than‘Balpixsang’. The male or pollen parent of ‘Balpixsang’ was theproprietary Impatiens variety designated 3111-1-9 (unpatented) which haslarger flowers than ‘Balpixsang’. The new cultivar was discovered andselected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the abovestated cross during January 2000 in a controlled environment at Elburn,Ill. The new cultivar was designated BFP-560.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been carried out at WestChicago, Ill. by terminal tip cuttings and has demonstrated that theunique characteristics of the new cultivar as herein described arefirmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexualpropagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It was found that the cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits small salmon colored flowers;

(b) forms dark green foliage;

(c) exhibits a good basal branching character; and

(c) exhibits a compact growth habit.

The new cultivar of the present invention can be compared to ‘FifySalmon’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,559). However, in side by sidecomparisons, plants of the new cultivar are more vigorous, have largerleaves and have flowers that are slightly darker and more orange incolor than ‘Fify Salmon’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. The plants weregrown for 12 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar ‘Balpixsang’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such astemperature, light intensity, and day length. The chart used in theidentification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values weredetermined on Feb. 12, 2001. The readings were taken between 2:00 and3:00 p.m. under natural daylight conditions.

Plants used for the following descriptions and measurements were grownin 10 cm pots for 12 weeks from rooted cuttings. The plants wereproduced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. A soilless growth medium was utilized whiletemperatures of approximately 68° to 75° F. (20° to 24° C.) during theday and approximately 55° to 65° F. (13° to 18° C.) during the night andlight levels of 4,000 to 6,000 footcandles were maintained.

Classification:

Botanical.—Impatiens walleriana cultivar ‘Balpixsang’.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens variety ‘Orange Chico’.

Male parent.—Proprietary Impatiens variety designated 3111-1-9.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.

Time to develop roots.—Approximately 21 to 30 days.

Root description.—Fibrous, branching.

Plant description:

Crop time.—Approximately 4 to 6 weeks are required to produce a finishedplant from rooted cuttings.

Habit of growth.—Compact with good basal branching. Pinching is notrequired.

Form.—Upright and mounded.

Height of foliage.—A mature plant, 12 weeks after the planting of arooted cutting, commonly measures approximately 11 cm.

Plant spread.—Approximately 22 cm.

Lateral branches.—An average of 6 branches per plant, approximately 6.3cm in length and 4 mm in diameter, glabrous and 145B with streaks of183D. Internode length at the middle of the branch is approximately 7mm.

Foliage.—Arrangement is alternate. Leaves are single, ovate withcrenate, ciliate margin, acuminate apex, attenuate base and are at anacute angle to the stem. Upper and lower surfaces are glabrous. Leaflength is approximately 3.5 cm and width is approximately 2.4 cm. Theupper surface of mature foliage is 137A and the lower surface is closestto 147B. Both upper and lower surfaces have pinnate venation. Venationof upper surface is 144C and the venation of the lower surface is 144A.The petiole length is approximately 1.9 cm, the diameter isapproximately 2 mm and the color is closest to 144D with streaks of 59C.

Flowering description:

Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.

Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse environment and fromspring through fall in outdoor garden.

Flower, description:

Type.—Single and persistent.

Size.—Diameter is approximately 2.4 cm.

Aspect.—Flat.

Corolla.—Five petals with entire undulate margin. Lateral and lowerpetals are fused at their bases. Lateral petals overlap lower petals andlower petals overlap each other. Upper petal has cuspidate apex, lateralpetals have rounded apex and lower petals have emarginate apex. Upperpetal has flat base. The base of the lateral and lower petals isattenuate. All petals have smooth texture. Upper petal length isapproximately 1.1 cm and width at widest point is 1.7 cm. Lateral andlower petal length is approximately 1.7 cm and width at widest point isapproximately 9 mm. Color of upper surface of upper and lateral petalsis between 41A and 41B. Color of upper surface of lower petals isbetween 41A and 41B with area at base of 59B forming an “eye”. Color oflower surface of all petals is 43D. Petal color fades to between 72A and72B with age.

Peduncle.—Glabrous, at an acute angle to the stem, approximately 1.4 cmin length and 1 mm in diameter. Peduncle color is 144D.

Flower bud.—Ovate, approximately 9 mm in length and 6 mm in diameter atfirst color. Bud color is 39A.

Sepals.—Three. Lateral sepals are approximately 3 mm in length and 1 mmin width with acuminate apex. Lower sepal is modified into spur.

Spur.—Sharply curved, 2.8 cm in length and 63C.

Reproductive organs.—Five stamens, 3 mm in length. Anthers are fusedaround pistil and color is 58A. Pollen has not been observed. Pistillength is 3 mm. Style length is <1 mm and color is 59B. Stigma length is<1 mm and color is 59A. Ovary is 2 mm in length and 143C in color.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens has not been observed.

Hardiness zone: ‘Balpixsang’ is hardy in zones nine (9) and above.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named‘Balpixsang’ substantially as herein shown and described, which: (a)exhibits small salmon colored flowers; (b) dark green foliage; (c) acompact growth habit; and (d) a good basal branching character.